UNIOSUN Debuts in Times World University Rankings, Tops State Universities

Osun State University (UNIOSUN) has made its debut in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2027, emerging as Nigeria’s highest-ranked state-owned university and securing a joint eighth position nationally. The 2027 ranking, published on September 30, placed UNIOSUN in the 1,201–1,400 global band, alongside Babcock University and the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

The latest ranking assessed 2,297 universities across 118 countries and territories, with 29 Nigerian universities making the list. Nigeria was the most represented country in sub-Saharan Africa in the 2027 edition, a testament to the growing research capacity and academic visibility of its tertiary institutions. According to a statement by the university’s Public Relations Officer, Ademola Adesoji, UNIOSUN recorded a score of 25.6 in Research Environment, the second-highest score among the 29 ranked Nigerian universities, behind only Covenant University’s 32.5. The university scored 23.6 in Teaching, placing fifth nationally, while it recorded 43.8 in Research Quality, 17.6 in Industry and 40.3 in International Outlook.

The Times Higher Education ranking is based on five broad pillars: Teaching, Research Environment, Research Quality, International Outlook and Industry. The 2027 methodology comprises 18 performance indicators covering areas including teaching reputation, research productivity and quality, citations, international collaboration, industry income and patents. The report described UNIOSUN as a new entrant and highlighted its performance in Research Environment and Teaching as notable strengths, while identifying Research Quality as an area with room for further improvement.

The university said the report also described its debut in the 1,201–1,400 global band as noteworthy, adding that UNIOSUN ranked ahead of 19 older and larger Nigerian universities. Only seven state-owned universities were among the 29 Nigerian universities ranked in the 2027 edition, compared with 19 federal and three private universities. UNIOSUN consequently emerged as the highest-ranked state university in the country. The statement said UNIOSUN’s performance in Research Environment was particularly notable because the pillar had a national mean score of 13.9, while the university recorded 25.6. Similarly, its Teaching score of 23.6 was above the national mean of 20.6, placing the university among the five highest-scoring institutions nationally in the category.

Reacting to the development, the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Odunayo Clement Adebooye, commended the Osun State Government and other stakeholders for their support and commitment to the institution’s growth. Adebooye said the university would continue to build on the achievement and pursue initiatives aimed at strengthening its academic and research profile and positioning it for greater global recognition. The statement described the 2027 THE ranking as a significant milestone in UNIOSUN’s development and said it provided an external benchmark of its performance in teaching, research, international outlook and industry engagement.

The latest ranking comes amid the university’s emphasis on research, innovation, postgraduate development, international collaboration and quality assurance as key components of its institutional development agenda. With its debut in the 1,201–1,400 global band and joint eighth position nationally, UNIOSUN has emerged as the highest-ranked state-owned university among the Nigerian institutions included in the 2027 Times Higher Education World University Rankings. The achievement not only elevates the university’s profile on the global stage but also underscores the growing competitiveness of Nigeria’s state-owned universities in the international higher education landscape. For UNIOSUN, the debut is a validation of its strategic investments in research and teaching, and a powerful statement that state universities can compete with—and outperform—their federal and private counterparts when given the right support and leadership.